New Year, New Resolutions for Your HVAC Environment

As 2016 came to a close and the focus becomes sharper on 2017, we all make it a point to make personal “resolutions” for the year that’s ahead of us. How about thinking from the perspective of your home or business HVAC system? If that heating and cooling system of yours could hold a conversation with you, you might be surprised with what it might tell you.

Being an HVAC system in Massachusetts, or heck, New England, is no easy task. Enduring sweltering summers and the perilously frigid winters, HVAC systems put up with a lot to make sure ultimate comfort is served to the homeowner they’re providing an ideal environment for. Hot, cold, hot, cold, hot, cold… They’re fighting through the extremes of the extremes. And, well, they don’t complain. Treat ‘em right. It benefits both sides…

New Year’s Resolutions for Your HVAC System:

Upgrade and/or change your air filters frequently.

Seriously. We’ve been talking about filters for a while now, but, in all honesty, it’s the root of many potential issues. Filters are important for many things in life, and adding your HVAC environment to the list of things filters are needed for makes sense. Filters not only help clean the air you’re breathing, they also keep the working components of your HVAC system in proper operational order by keeping harmful elements out. It’s a two-way street. Filters keep your HVAC system healthy, while also keeping you healthy. Think filters. They’re easy, affordable, and are often overlooked.

Consider implementing a programmable thermostat.

A programmable thermostat enables ease of management when it comes to your heating and cooling environment and when/how to properly adjust the settings of your HVAC system to attain maximum comfort. The truth is, the constant finagling of a regular general thermostat isn’t a very efficient means of “staying on top” of the overall temperature and feel of your surrounding environment. A programmable thermostat, for all intents and purposes allows you to “set it and forget it.” Some even offer management controls accessible from any handheld device (smartphone, tablet, computer, etc.).

The long and short of it is this: When you opt for a programmable thermostat, you’ll wind up saving money, conserving energy, and minimizing headaches by knowing that your system will be operating at peak performance. Essentially, you gain the ability to take full control of your environment – and that equals the highest level of comfort, which we’re all looking for.

Learn the repair warning signs.

We’re going to keep this one simple, because honestly, if you have a trusted HVAC service contractor on your side, you should be able to minimize the need to worry about this subject. But, in any event, here are three basic signs that should prompt you to take action…

You’ve noticed a curious rise in your utility bills. If they’re going up, you’re subject to either rising utility costs, or an HVAC system that isn’t performing at an optimal level.

Deteriorating air quality or airflow. This isn’t something that’s necessarily easy to diagnose, but if you notice things getting dustier than normal, and/or you’re experiencing dry, unexplainable coughs, it may be due to poor air quality or airflow. Once you’ve subjected yourself to the addition of an HVAC environment in your home or business, you’ll become familiar with how the air feels. If that quality feels “off,” or, if the heating or cooling of your indoor space seems uneven, there’s an issue somewhere in the delivery. It may be time to call in a professional.

Age gets to us all. Even our appliances. Keep note of how old your HVAC system is. The average lifespan of an HVAC system is 15-20 years. If you have a maintenance plan in place with a service contractor like us here at Suburban, you’re helping yourself get the most life possible out of that system.

Schedule routine maintenance.

This is really the best thing you can do for your home or company’s HVAC system. By scheduling annual maintenance with a trusted certified HVAC professional, you’re making sure your HVAC system is up to snuff, and can focus on the other things around you that matter most.

If you’re heating and cooling system is routinely maintained, it’s going to operate at the highest efficiency for your living environment possible. Optimizing the performance of your system, as well as your own personal environmental comfort, as well as the comfort of your wallet. It really is that simple.

We’d be grateful if you allowed Suburban Companies to be your HVAC service contractor. We service Massachusetts, and the greater Boston area, southern New Hampshire, and beyond. Contact us today to set up a free consultation, or to schedule maintenance.